View source for Post-vacation blues

{{Infobox medical condition
 |name            = Post-vacation blues
 |synonym         = Post-holiday blues
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 |symptoms        = Tiredness, loss of appetite, anxious, nostalgia, depression, stress
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 |causes          = Returning home or to a normal routine from a long vacation
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 |treatment       = Time
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 |frequency       = 57% of travellers
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'''Post-vacation blues''' (Canada and US), '''post-holiday blues''' (UK, Ireland and some Commonwealth countries) or '''post-travel depression''' ('''PTD''') is a type of [[Mood (psychology)|mood]] that persons returning home from a long trip (usually a [[vacation]]) may experience.<ref name="webmd.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/after-vacation-tips-to-bounce-back-fast|title=After Vacation: Tips to Bounce Back Fast|work=WebMD}}</ref>

==Background==
A person may suffer from post-vacation blues after returning home or to a normal routine from a long vacation, especially if it was a pleasurable one.<ref name="HuffPost is now part of Oath">{{cite web |title=HuffPost is now part of Oath |website=HuffPost |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/do-the-post-holiday-blues-really-exist-and-if-so-how-to-beat-them_uk_5b7577e9e4b02b415d760683 |access-date=5 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/business/travel/do-well-needed-vacations-actually-bum-us-out-f1C9846532|title=Do well-needed vacations actually bum us out?|author=Dana McMahan|publisher=NBC News}}</ref> The longer a trip lasts, the more intense the post-vacation blues may be. This is because after some people return home, they realize how boring and unsatisfactory their normal lifestyle is when compared to the activities they did while on their vacation. It is easier to re-adjust to a normal routine the shorter the trip was. Post-vacation blues may result in tiredness, loss of appetite, strong feelings of [[nostalgia]], and in some cases, depression. [[Jet lag]] may intensify the post-vacation blues.<ref name="Dillner 2013">{{cite web |last=Dillner |first=Luisa |title=How do you recover from jet lag? |website=The Guardian |date=19 May 2013 |url=http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/may/19/how-recover-from-jet-lag |access-date=5 March 2019}}</ref>

According to an article in [[Daily Mirror|''The Mirror'']], 57% of British travellers reported experiencing post-holiday blues.<ref name="Lillywhite 2017">{{cite web |last=Lillywhite |first=Octavia |title=5 ways to beat post-holiday blues, according to an expert |website=[[Daily Mirror|The Mirror]]| date=3 September 2017 |url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/health/how-beat-post-holiday-blues-11086737 |access-date=5 March 2019}}</ref>

==Treatment==
{{unreferenced-sect|date=October 2022}}
In general, post-vacation blues will wear off over time.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-12 |title=Post Vacation Depression: Expert Tips on How to Cope |url=https://thriveworks.com/help-with/depression/post-vacation-depression/ |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=thriveworks.com/ |language=en-US}}</ref> It usually takes a few days, but in extreme cases, the mood can last for several weeks before wearing off. Faster ways of treating post-vacation blues are for the person to share experiences with family and friends or to look at photos and souvenirs. Some people may find comfort in re-living their vacation experiences; for example, if one really enjoyed [[jet-skiing]] during the holiday, that person may purchase a jet-ski for personal use. Another well-known method of curing post-vacation blues is to plan or book the next vacation as this offers a distraction and also provides the person something to look forward to.

Addressing post-vacation blues involves maintaining consistency in daily routines and practicing [[mindfulness]], as per [[Psychology Today]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vacation Blues: Why Post-Holiday Relaxation Vanishes Quickly {{!}} Psychology Today |url=https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/striving-high/202306/vacation-blues-why-post-holiday-relaxation-vanishes-quickly |access-date=2024-01-06 |website=www.psychologytoday.com |language=en-US}}</ref> A regular schedule with self-care activities, like exercise and [[meditation]], can extend a vacation's positive impact. Additionally, mindfulness focusing on present experiences, reduces stress. 

==Similar moods==
* [[Spring fever]]
* In Japan, a phenomenon known as ''gogatsu-byou'' (五月病,　literally "May sickness") leaves some people feeling depressed a month after they started a new school year or new job, as their expectations were not met.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Abe|first1=Namiko|title=Gogatsu byou – May Sickness|url=https://www.thoughtco.com/gogatsu-byou-may-sickness-2028297|website=ThoughtCo|accessdate=August 31, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first1=Amber|last1=Bunnell|title=Gogatsu Byou: The Sickness that Strike Japan Each May|url=https://thebestjapan.com/gogatsu-byou-the-sickness-that-strike-japan-each-may|website=The Best Japan|accessdate=July 26, 2023}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Human factors]]
* [[Human reliability]]
* [[Seasonal affective disorder]]
* [[Homesickness]]
* [[Nostalgia]]

==References==
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[[Category:Mood disorders]]
[[Category:Itinerant living]]
[[Category:Travel]]
[[Category:Nostalgia]]